It is no secret that UK businesses have, for the most part, been significantly hampered by the Covid-19 pandemic. However, with unprecedented levels of adaptability and innovation, firms have been able to navigate the crisis thus far and are looking to the future with some hope despite lingering uncertainty.
With the worst crisis in generations that the UK and the world at large have faced continuing to impact firms, businesses have taken the challenge in their stride day-to-day, with renewed optimism that pandemic is now in its waning days. CPack, a Lancashire-based manufacturer of premium packaging systems, is one of the businesses that has been up to the task.
What CPack has done during the pandemic is willingly engage with other businesses and business leaders in dialogue over the steps being taken to address the issue. In late January, managing director Chris Reilly participated in an online meeting with members of the House of Lords, alongside several other business leaders.
Reilly said of the meeting: “It was obvious to all at the time that the UK was running at a substantial deficit of over £40 billion for the previous month. It is no secret that the ongoing furlough scheme will at some point come to an end and the impact on employment will be a substantial loss of jobs. We all hope that the vaccine will bring the Covid disease under control. We don't have a crystal ball, but we do have hope.”
In the wake of the UK vaccine breakthrough in December and the subsequent success of the nation's rollout programme, CPack has persisted with the keep calm and carry-on approach that epitomises British business and has served the firm so well over the last year. In mid-February, the business even had something to celebrate, with the key milestone of fulfilling its first major European post-Brexit export.
After getting around the post-Brexit challenges associated with new customs paperwork requirements, CPack dispatched a custom RSW900 machine to a Greek Cypriot business that specialises in Loukoumi cakes.
Announcing the news, a company statement said: “The RSW900 is a custom-built machine designed to wrap rectangular and round food products, constructed with flexibility in mind. It was ideal for the requirements of the European client and is capable of wrapping a plethora of different items, from cakes and cheese to meat products such as sausages.”
Despite the UK at large operating at a deficit, income certainly has not been an issue for CPack over the opening months of the year. Its semi-automatic 350 Shrink Tunnel and L-Sealer Combi Unit products became bestsellers over February and March, and the company enjoyed more sales of the products ahead of the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, when a specialist luxury fragrance Bath Bomb producer was eager to acquire the machinery to keep on top of growing demand.
Reilly recalled: “The order was at short notice but, as always, I am proud to say that out CPack team delivered as promised.”
CPack’s momentum continued over the rest of April, with staff tasked with dispatching and installing machines for a further two clients, based in the East Midlands and East Sussex respectively.
The mission to the East Midlands saw CPack install an ESW 650 Auto Shrink Wrapping System with additional custom roller conveyors to help the client’s operations which required the shrink wrapping of jars. The East Sussex client was in need of a solution to shrink wrap pizza, and CPack’s L-Sealer and Shrink Tunnel Combi Unit once more proved the ideal candidate, enabling the flexibility of foot and manual operation for the user to get the job done.
Reilly said: “Our engineers certainly have been busy, but it is great for the business and our clients. We pride ourselves on ensuring all customer specifications are met exactly and supplying accurate and timely responses, and we have continued to do this even through Covid. We can be immensely proud of our efforts in this respect.”
Having strived to maintain the same levels of excellent customer service through the global pandemic, CPack is well-placed to build on the foundations it has laid in the early part of the year and can look forward to even further success.
